City of Basketball Love

Rich Flanagan (@richflanagan33)
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(Ed. Note: This story is part of CoBL’s “Prepping for Preps” series, which will take a look at many of the top high school programs in the region as part of our 2024-25 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed thus far can be found here.)

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So much of what Malvern Prep did offensively over the last three seasons centered around Ryan Williams and Andrew Phillips.

Phillips, now a sophomore at Lafayette, won the 2022-23 Inter-Ac League MVP in helping the Friars capture a share of the league title. Williams, in his first season at Northeastern, was named All Inter-Ac First Team three straight years, which included 50 victories and a pair of shared league titles. The pair averaged over 17 ppg during the 2022-23 season before Williams averaged 22.0 ppg in his final prep year, finishing with 1,463 career points, fifth all-time in Malvern Prep history.

Williams drove much of what Malvern Prep (16-10, 5-5 Inter-Ac League) did on one end, providing critical late-game scoring as one of the best lead guards around. As both he and Phillips have moved on to play Division I basketball, head coach Paul Romanczuk has a major void to fill -- and while no one person will be able to make up for what was lost, the biggest question mark to Malvern Prep’s success this season will be where the production comes from.

“That’s a critical question that we’re going to have to get figured out here,” Romanczuk said. “Losing [Ryan] who scored almost 1,500 points in three years and someone who, when we needed a big bucket, was always able to do that for us, then also losing Andrew two years ago, they were our two big guys. They scored the ball when we needed it most and that’s certainly going to be a question that has to be answered.”

Williams blossomed as a sophomore and the next two sophomores who could follow that ascent are Marvin Reed and Nick Harken. Reed, a 5-10 guard with an offer from Manhattan, averaged 10.8 ppg and posted two 20-point games including a career-high 24 points at Episcopal Academy. Harken is a 6-4 wing who averaged9.2 ppg and scored 19 points against Mount Saint Joseph (Md.).

Romanczuk expects huge seasons from both sophomores who will be relied on for scoring production and leadership in key situations.

“They both realize that in order to fulfill their goals or realize their potential of playing at the next level, they still need to work on their game, be coachable and have a hunger to improve,” Romanczuk said. “You don’t have to tell those guys to get in the gym. They both know they need to improve their perimeter shooting as the basketball word today is about spacing teams out.”

What is going to make Malvern Prep so unique this season will be the addition of 6-9 freshman forward Logan Chwastyk, who already holds an offer from Cal State Bakersfield. Chwastyk is one of the most highly-touted prospects in the area and the versatile big man should contribute immediately.

“People are buzzing about him," Romanczuk said. "He provides us with something we frankly have not had much of and that’s some size and ability. I don’t know the last time Malvern had someone 6-8 plus and Logan has a wealth of talent. The sky’s the limit and he’s very skilled for his size."

Romanczuk had 6-7 forward Tyler Lauder, now at Babson College, as a stable post presence in his first season back on the sideline in 2021-22 then ran a lot of sets through the 6-4 Phillips on the block during his career. Fran Oschell, a 6-7 right-handed pitcher who was named a baseball All-American at Duke last season and was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 12th round of the 2024 MLB Draft, flourished under John Harmatuk as a two-time All Inter-Ac Second Team selection. Yet, it has been some time since Malvern Prep had a big man as polished or skilled this early in their career and Romanczuk is ecstatic about Chwastyk’s future.

Nick Harken (12) defends Episcopal's Timmy Dennis during a game in January 2024. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

“His ability to shoot the ball and drive by guys is pretty darn advanced,” Romanczuk said. “His feel for the game and IQ is pretty advanced for someone his age. Usually, you hear the adage, ‘It takes time for big guys to develop,’ and I say that’s generally true, but I think Logan is right there as far as one of the best big guys I’ve ever been able to coach. I’m excited to see his development and we’ll continue to work to show him his versatility is his best attribute.”

There is certainly a youth movement leading the way for the Friars and the underclassmen will have another full season under the tutelage of an experienced group that was part of the most recent Inter-Ac title team. Hanif (Junior) McFadden stands at 6-6 and the senior forward is a returning starter who avg. 6.8 ppg with six double-digit scoring games last season. Romanczuk notes that McFadden “is a great complementary player for us, meaning he complements our players on the court” and “he’s very versatile at 6-6, 6-7 where he can guard multiple positions then he’s very versatile on offense as well.”

Andrew Davis, a 6-3 senior wing who was named one of four captains, can play inside and out and “gives a physical presence and toughness defensively and can also knock down a shot for us,” as Romanczuk described. Taig McErlane and Ryan Sims provide depth in the backcourt and will vie for minutes. McErlane is a 6-foot senior lefty who has “potential to start at one of the guard spots” with his shooting and ball-handling ability. Sims is a 5-9 senior and Gettysburg lacrosse commit “who can provide us some insurance as far as ball-handling,” Romanczuk said.

Romanczuk’s son, Cooper is a 6-3 junior guard who “had some really good moments over the summer. He provides us with a guard who has a bigger frame. He can shoot the ball and provides athleticism there.” Bryce Perkins should provide depth inside with Chwastyk and McFadden at 6-5 and the junior forward is “bouncy and long and someone we can rely on defensively.”

Malvern Prep opens its season on Nov. 30 against The Hun School (N.J.) and will also play Bishop Shanahan, Unionville, Bonner-Prendergast, La Salle, Friends’ Central School, Archbishop Wood and Salesianum (Del.) in nonleague play. The Friars open Inter-Ac League play on Jan. 7 against Episcopal Academy and their first matchup with reigning champion, Penn Charter will be Jan. 17.

It’s the first season without either Phillips or Williams and, while Romanczuk is excited for the prospect of developing a younger corps led by Reed, Harken and Chwastyk, figuring who will step up and how is one of several unanswered questions heading into the new season.

“We have some guys who are up to the challenge but right now a lot of our guys are inexperienced as far as being a main or second option,” Romanczuk said. “We’ll have to work on it early to see who’s up to that task.”